Find a Job You Really Want In
As we move into 2026, the landscape for women in the workforce continues to evolve, but significant challenges remain. Issues such as gender discrimination, wage disparities, and unequal sharing of household responsibilities still affect women across the United States, including in Oklahoma.
In our analysis of the best and worst cities for women in Oklahoma, we discovered that the local environment can greatly influence women’s opportunities and quality of life.
The findings indicate substantial variations in how cities support their female residents.
Continue reading to find out which cities rank as the most challenging for women in Oklahoma and learn about the factors that contribute to these rankings.
The 10 Worst Cities To Be A Woman In Oklahoma
These cities rank as the most challenging for women in Oklahoma. Read on to understand the reasons behind these rankings or skip to the end to discover the best cities for women in the state.
Methodology – How We Determined The Worst Cities For Women In Oklahoma
Each city was evaluated based on four key criteria:
- Percentage of Women in Management (Lower percentage is worse)
- Percentage of Women Living in Poverty (Higher percentage is worse)
- Women’s Earnings Relative to Male Earnings (Lower ratio is worse)
- Uninsured Women (Lower percentage is worse)
We sourced income data from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. To calculate the earnings gap between women and men for each city, we divided the median income of male workers by that of female workers.
For the poverty rate, we utilized data from the ACS, focusing specifically on women living alone, as this demographic often faces higher poverty rates compared to those who are married or living with family.
To examine the representation of women in leadership roles, we again referred to ACS data. Given that women who occupy management positions are likely to support other women, this metric provides insights into opportunities for advancement.
The percentage of uninsured women in each city was also obtained from the ACS data.
Our analysis included only cities in Oklahoma with populations exceeding 5,000 residents.
1. Clinton
Earnings Ratio (Women to Men): $0.45
Women in Management: 27.0%
Women Living in Poverty: 18.9%
Uninsured Women: 20.0%
Clinton ranks as the most difficult city for women in Oklahoma. Low scores across all metrics indicate that women in Clinton face significant economic and health challenges.
2. Sallisaw
Earnings Ratio (Women to Men): $0.62
Women in Management: 41.2%
Women Living in Poverty: 29.2%
Uninsured Women: 19.6%
Sallisaw ranks as the second worst city for women, showcasing high poverty rates and generally poor economic conditions for women.
3. Poteau
Earnings Ratio (Women to Men): $0.82
Women in Management: 11.8%
Women Living in Poverty: 29.3%
Uninsured Women: 16.8%
Women in Poteau face significant challenges, with only 11.8% in management positions and a high poverty rate of 29.3%.
4. Warr Acres
Earnings Ratio (Women to Men): $0.53
Women in Management: 51.5%
Women Living in Poverty: 22.8%
Uninsured Women: 18.5%
Warr Acres ranks fourth, with a notable percentage of uninsured women and a significant number living in poverty.
5. Ardmore
Earnings Ratio (Women to Men): $0.62
Women in Management: 38.2%
Women Living in Poverty: 21.6%
Uninsured Women: 16.0%
Ardmore is the fifth worst city for women, showing some improvement over the previous four cities, but still facing notable challenges.
6. El Reno
Earnings Ratio (Women to Men): $0.66
Women in Management: 28.6%
Women Living in Poverty: 18.2%
Uninsured Women: 16.1%
At sixth place, El Reno struggles with poverty and a high percentage of women in management positions.
7. Henryetta
Earnings Ratio (Women to Men): $0.70
Women in Management: 39.8%
Women Living in Poverty: 26.0%
Uninsured Women: 19.3%
Henryetta ranks as a challenging environment for women, marked by high poverty rates and limited healthcare access.
8. Chickasha
Earnings Ratio (Women to Men): $0.62
Women in Management: 29.8%
Women Living in Poverty: 22.6%
Uninsured Women: 10.9%
Chickasha presents challenges for women, particularly with high poverty rates and a significant earnings gap.
9. Seminole
Earnings Ratio (Women to Men): $0.71
Women in Management: 39.6%
Women Living in Poverty: 23.6%
Uninsured Women: 21.2%
Women in Seminole experience significant barriers, with lower earnings and a high percentage of uninsured women.
10. Wagoner
Earnings Ratio (Women to Men): $0.75
Women in Management: 21.2%
Women Living in Poverty: 24.5%
Uninsured Women: 14.0%
Wagoner rounds out the list, where women still face considerable hardships despite some relative improvements compared to the previous cities.
Summary of the Worst Cities for Women in Oklahoma
The cities listed represent the most challenging environments for women in Oklahoma. While there are systemic issues affecting women throughout the state, these cities present particularly difficult circumstances.
While virtually no cities in this analysis show women earning equal to or more than their male counterparts, the disparities between the highest and lowest rankings are stark.
Although we cannot generalize that Clinton is the worst city for every individual woman, it is clear that women living there face unique and significant challenges.
Explore the complete list below to see how various cities compare.
Detailed List Of The Worst Cities For Women In Oklahoma
| Rank | Place | Pay Gap |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clinton | $0.45 |
| 2 | Sallisaw | $0.62 |
| 3 | Poteau | $0.82 |
| 4 | Warr Acres | $0.53 |
| 5 | Ardmore | $0.62 |
| 6 | El Reno | $0.66 |
| 7 | Henryetta | $0.70 |
| 8 | Chickasha | $0.62 |
| 9 | Seminole | $0.71 |
| 10 | Wagoner | $0.75 |
| 11 | Purcell | $0.66 |
| 12 | Ada | $0.81 |
| 13 | Weatherford | $0.69 |
| 14 | Muskogee | $0.77 |
| 15 | Tahlequah | $0.86 |
| 16 | Idabel | $0.70 |
| 17 | Duncan | $0.55 |
| 18 | Stillwater | $0.68 |
| 19 | Mcalester | $0.63 |
| 20 | Altus | $0.60 |
| 21 | Cushing | $0.72 |
| 22 | Guthrie | $0.73 |
| 23 | Collinsville | $0.61 |
| 24 | Blackwell | $0.65 |
| 25 | Enid | $0.59 |
| 26 | Miami | $0.71 |
| 27 | Elk City | $0.66 |
| 28 | Catoosa | $0.62 |
| 29 | Durant | $0.73 |
| 30 | Tulsa | $0.75 |
| 31 | Noble | $0.57 |
| 32 | Okmulgee | $0.79 |
| 33 | Anadarko | $0.82 |
| 34 | Woodward | $0.44 |
| 35 | Skiatook | $0.67 |
| 36 | Shawnee | $0.69 |
| 37 | Bixby | $0.57 |
| 38 | Pryor Creek | $0.71 |
| 39 | Edmond | $0.57 |
| 40 | Ponca City | $0.72 |
| 41 | Newcastle | $0.63 |
| 42 | Piedmont | $0.59 |
| 43 | Pauls Valley | $0.83 |
| 44 | Owasso | $0.60 |
| 45 | Tuttle | $0.55 |
| 46 | Sapulpa | $0.68 |
| 47 | Oklahoma City | $0.73 |
| 48 | Lawton | $0.70 |
| 49 | Broken Arrow | $0.65 |
| 50 | Guymon | $0.87 |
| 51 | Tecumseh | $0.62 |
| 52 | Del City | $0.78 |
| 53 | Jenks | $0.60 |
| 54 | Bartlesville | $0.66 |
| 55 | Sand Springs | $0.69 |
| 56 | Norman | $0.69 |
| 57 | Choctaw | $0.65 |
| 58 | Blanchard | $0.62 |
| 59 | Grove | $0.73 |
| 60 | Midwest City | $0.76 |
| 61 | Bethany | $0.82 |
| 62 | Vinita | $0.88 |
| 63 | Claremore | $0.77 |
| 64 | Mustang | $0.60 |
| 65 | Harrah | $0.69 |
| 66 | Coweta | $0.73 |
| 67 | Glenpool | $0.74 |
| 68 | Yukon | $0.79 |
| 69 | Moore | $0.73 |
| 70 | The Village | $0.87 |
Author
Kathy is the head of content at Zippia with a knack for engaging audiences. Prior to joining Zippia, Kathy worked at Gateway Blend growing audiences across diverse brands. She graduated from Troy University with a degree in Social Science Education.
